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Meet Yanick Booz

How long you have been sewing and/or quilting and when did you join the Orlando MQG?

I have been sewing for 18 years and quilting for 16 years. I joined Orlando MQG in January 2013 and it was the best birthday present I gave myself! I needed to find “my people” that loved quilting/collecting fabric as much as I did. I was honored to serve as president from 2014-2016 and have adored the friends made here ever since.

How did you learn to quilt?

I learned to quilt with the help of my mother-in-love, Mrs. Grover. She gave me “My First Quilting Book (Or It Should Be)” by Carol Doak to help me with a baby shower gift. I was instantly hooked and went to the library to check out every book with pictures they had on quilting techniques. That same year, there was a PBS special on the quilters of Gees Bend and I saw people who looked like me making these beautiful quilts without patterns or books. Afterwards, I felt empowered to design my own quilts instead of following someone else’s pattern.

What machine do you drive?

I have 3 machines in my sewing room: My first Kenmore that I lend to people who want to learn how to sew. (It’s ancient and all metal so it’s perfect to learn the basics.)

A Brother SE400 is used for “fancy stitches” and traveling.

My True Love is a Juki TL2010Q that I cannot live without now.

Do you sew with your shoes on or off?

I mostly sew with my shoes off and socks on so I can feel the pressure I apply to the pedal.

What and/or who inspires you?

I am inspired by colors and lines. I love playing with rainbows of color and tend to buy either solids or very bright prints. I really like shot cottons, Cherrywood fabrics, and linen. I enjoy looking at lines in nature and building structures. I often take pictures or screenshots when I see an interesting angle or grouping of lines which I later use to design my own quilts. I really enjoy making geometric quilts with straight-line quilting. (You’ll never find meandering or feathers in my personal quilts.)

What is your favorite thing you’ve made to date?

Picking a favorite quilt is probably the hardest question to answer so I am going to share a few:

This is the first quilt I made after my first class with the guild in 2013. Learning the stitch and flip technique from Jacquie Gering was so much fun.

“I Love My Hair” was created because I wanted to play with the traditional cameo silhouette that never looked like me. I am always on the hunt for afros and collect novelty fabrics that have images of diverse people. This mini was also my first real attempt at improv quilting and applique.

“Intersection” is a paper-pieced quilt that I designed myself. It is made with over 20 different shot cottons to give the illusion of intersecting lines.

What is your motto?

“Plan your work and work your plan.”

As a Capricorn, I thrive on order and neatness. I like having structure to my day and structure in my quilt designs.